The two men who were yesterday convicted by a jury of robbing a 70-year-old man of €7,000 were this afternoon jailed eight and 10 years respectively and fined €2,000 each.

Mr Justice Michael Mallia jailed Aaron Cassar, 32, of Kirkop for eight years and Noel Frendo, 36, from Qawra for 10 years.

They were found guilty by eight votes to one of committing a hold-up, holding the victim against his will and slightly injuring him.

The jurors were unanimous in finding the accused guilty of illegal possession of a firearm and of heroin, while also finding them guilty, by seven votes to two, of stealing a Hyundai Accent.

On Monday jurors heard Mr Grixti describe how at 9.15 a.m on July 12, 2004, just minutes after he drove away from the Buġibba HSBC branch, he was stopped by the men in the stolen car.

One held a pistol to his head then wrestled for a small black pouch containing the money.

The accused were later found by the police in an uninhabited area with the pouch, balaclavas, gloves and drugs.